Dental template



R. O. DICKSON DENTAL TEMPLATE Filed May 27, 1946 R 3; 0- Dltkdu,

Patented Aug. 31, 1948 UN "EB?" QFF I'FQE 2ZM8,085- DENTAL TEMPLATE? Ross flrllicksun', Mexico :Gity, Mexico AiiplioationM'ayizl, 1946;";Sferial No: 672,520

This invention appertains to' a' dental' tern plate for use in setting -up the-teeth 'of 'i'artifleial dentures and l more particularly to a means i on mountingthe --=template= on a standard? type of dental articulator and in a manner "to'-faci1itate=* the accurate setting up of the teethdnconform ity with the average ocolusal curve-of all sized individuals having* either normal or abnormah natural dentirreiormationsr Another object of the invention hastodo-with the provisionof a dental template mounting as; aforesaid and which; isadapted forattachment to the jawmember of an artieula-ton" for: its easy-' andaccurate adjustment 'thereon', by meansof the usual model fixing Iocl screw,""'without -neces sitating any" modi'fieation f"- the articulation" structure,- oralteration in" the s usual arrange-- mentor the parts thereof! A further -object ofthe-inventien lies in "the provision of a 'dental templatemountihg-"oi the kind specified "and *whieh is so constructed-that it may be universally adjusted; raised-or lowered; moved anteriorly or zposteriorly; in order to -es 1 tabiish any degree of ineline of thaocolusalplane in relation to the horizontalplane -as-it-fo-llows== the teeth'in the dental" arch iromthe eentral incisors to the-second molars, that may "be-"re-- quired f or accuracy inthe making and fitting of artificial dentures;

In order that the useful advantages of-this 'in- 3% vention maybemore readllyunderstood; ref#' erence is madeto theaccompa vine-drawings; with the understanding that: changes and moth-- fications in the detail's'of-construction may be=- made within the scope without departing from thespirit"ofthe'inven tion in its broader aspects:

In the accompanying 'drawingsr Figure-l is aside elevation of a standard Figure 6 isa'perspective view of the guide" member an'd clamp'fiassemblyi with which a lock screw 'of the articulator cooperates to secure the template-,1 mounting and wedge assembly, ina position of adjustment on a supporting part of the artionlator;

Figurefl' 'isa fragmentary, side elevation, of"

the articulator; showing a companion template, mounting; an'd wedge assembly, the upper artificial teeth, positioned on the base part of th'e artioulator; and,-

Figure- 8"is-=a-perspeetive-view of a modified" is placed "in the mouth between bite blocks (not shown) i with-"the-wings on each side parallel to a=linedrawn on'the face from the-upper margin of-"'the--= exte'rnal part -of 'the wing the eyes. Most all makes of 'articulators have markingson the-- els on thisplane;

ITlr'Fi gUI'BF' 1-, an occlusal curve 00', for the teeth, isshown incorrect elevation relative to the" horizontal plane 1-H as 'it foll'ows' the teeth in to the second clusal curve will be upward at the posteriorend relatively tome-horizontal plane. An 00- clusalplane OP, generally defined as a plane of articulator; showingtheimproved dental tem mlwhieh' passesbetweenpoints representing one P MIC? j stab e mounting'j'positioned' thereon;

Figure 2 is a graph, representmg ais r e tion' ot the' dental arch; in the: vertical transverse plane *in die-ated" By the? mediamrl'ine mi-on Figural;

Figureii is 'a perspective =view=-'ot the substanie tially-- wedge-shaped member for! eifeoting justments of the template and its smountinge Figure 4:isan enlarged; fragmentary;- longitudinal section,- th'rough the artioul'ator= 'j'aw and the" templatemounting and adjustable wedgeassembly;

Figure --5' is a-'h0rizonta1 section', taken 'tliruugl'ri the-l-ine=5-5 on Figure-42* half of the incisal over-bite and one-half of the=cusp height'of the last-molars, is obtainedfrom the-occlusal curve O0 in contact with the cusp tips" of the "lower incisors and the buccal cusp=tips of the posterior teeth. This curve also contacts-"the snloi of the upper posterior teeth and' ithe- -lirigual" surfacesot the incisors and; since =:-the: curveisa comestile controlling r factorin establishing:- the; occlusa-l plane OH oft-occlusion;

Thissplane- OB also f or setting up auditory meatus to the lowest 'of' the-nose: The horizontal plane, when-viewed from the 'front, should be parallel to" a lin'e passingthrough the'pupils of' incisal I 'pin and the condyle poststo facilitatethemounting 0f denture mod common" to the -upper: and. lower teethi-inacentri'o relation, itw therelow'hee Therefore, the normal plane as viewed' from' the side, is ,a straight: line; tangent toa this: common occlusal curve;. has application; toteither the :upper on-rthalower archand:theinorma1;-upwardL incline at the posterior end is about three to five degrees, relative to the horizontal plane HP.

In the mounting of models and the setting up of teeth, the size of the individual must be considered, e. g., the tall man can take a longer stride than a shorter one, hence, his walking pattern is the larger. This is true of the masticatory function. Therefore, in Figure 1, which shows a template I0, having the curvature of a sphere, mounted in the articulator and establishing the occlusal plane OP in relation to the horizontal plane HP, it is to be noted that the distance from the condyle elements C to the vertical center of the template and its mounting is to be adjusted V to position the said center relative to the horizontal plane HP, in conformity with the size of the individual, thus permitting the setting of the teeth to the occlusal curve 0C and the obtaining of a proper degree of incline of the occlusal plane OP, relative to the horizontal plane HP, that the operator may deem to be convenient; the changing of the occlusal curve being effected by aforward or backward adjustment of the template and mounting assembly relatively to that part of the articulator on which it is supported; the means to efl'ect such adjustment to be presently described. The molars of a larger mouth will be farther from the median line ML (Figures 1 and 2) than those of the smaller mouth, as can be seen by comparing the tooth positions shown in the two figures. Therefore, to maintain the correct position of the occlusal plane OP, in relation to the horizontal plane HP, the occlusal curve must be elevated.

In carrying out the objects and purposes of my invention, I provide a mounting for the template I 0, having the form of an open frame, which is comprised in a substantially wedge-shaped base I2 and front and rear standards I4 and I6, respectively, supporting the template in spaced relation with respect to the base; the rear standard I6 being substantially Y-shaped to have its angled arms connected with the template at opposite sides of its longitudinal center and of a cutout Illa, in the rear end portion thereof. The base I2 is longitudinally slotted, as at IZa, for its sliding adjustment on a guide element I 8 and relatively to an adjustable wedge 22; the latter being correspondingly slotted, as at 22a (Figure 3), for like adjustment on the guide element I 8.

As shown in Figure 1, the template and mounting assembly is inverted for its adjustable support from and lengthwise of the under side of the hinged jaw B, of the articulator, to which end, a clamp plate 20 is mounted on the under side of the guide element I8 and engages the lower side of the base I2, at opposite sides of the slot I 2a, when the guide element is is engaged in the slots I2a and 22a, respectively, of the base I2 and the wedge 22. The guide element I8 is provided with a screw threaded axial bore Isa (Figure 6) for the engagement therewith of the usual model attaching lock-screw E (Figure 1), carried by the articulator jaw B, so that, when the lock-screw E is tightened, the base I2 and the wedge 22 will be clamped together, in their relatively adjusted positions between the under side of the articular jaw and the upper side of the clamp plate 20. The guide element I8 and the clamp plate 20 are both rectangular in form, with the latter having a width equal to that of the base I2 and at least one side edge provided with a graduated scale 20b, for cooperation with a similar scale 22b, on the complemental side edge of the wedge 22 (Figures 1, 3, and 6), andan index mark, I 2b, on the corne 4 spending side edge of the base I2, which index mark I2b, together with a like index mark I 0b, on the corresponding side edge of the template l0, defines the median line ML (Figures 1 and 2). The clamp plate 20 is provided with a slot 20a, in the side portion opposite from the scaled side portion thereof, which registers with a similar slot 22 formed in the wedge 22, so that both slots are engaged by a guide element or screw 24, which is threaded upwardly through the base I2 (Figure 4), to allow relative adjustments of the base and the wedge, while, at the same time, coupling the clamp plate to the base.

The outer, i. e., inclined, face of the base I2 is formed with a groove I2c, opening outwardly through the rear end edge thereof from the slot I 211; the groove being narrower than the latter and adapted to register with a slot 22d, formed in therearwardly directed end of the adjustable wedge 22, when the latter is operatively positioned on the base I2. The top side of the wedge 22 is also provided with a groove 22e, opening outwardl through its front end edge from the slot 22a and in alignment withthe slot 22d. A slot 22g is formed in the bottom of the groove 22c, for the passage therethrough Of a guide element or screw 26, which is threaded into the base I2 to couple the Wedge thereto but, otherwise, allow for the relative adjustment of the base and wedge, the headed end of the guide element or screw engaging in the groove 22c, to that end. A guide element or pin 28 is carried by the articulator jaw B and engages in the slot 22d and the groove I2c, res ectively of th wedge and base, to maintain the alignment of the wedge and base during relative movements of adjustment thereof. Thus, the template, the mounting, and the wedge, are assembled as a unit, for quick and easy attachment to and removal from the supporting part of -the articulator, which is to be accomplished by merely-manipulating one or the other of the lockscrews E and F relatively to the guide element I 8, to tighten up on or free the clamp plate 20.

In the position of the template In (Figure 1),

the occlusal curve 00 is that of a more or less normal patient, but, in the case of a patient having an abnormal formation, in Which the center of the sphere is located at the distal portion of the second molar, the template I 0, to provide a vproper occlusal curve, would have to be adjusted rearwardly on the articular jaw B and relatively to the median line ML, to effect the proper relation of the occlusal plane OP to the horizontal plane HP, i. e., the occlusal plane OP would be an incline anteriorly and a decline posteriorly,

'while, in the case of a patient where the center of the sphere is located in the region of the lower second bicuspid, the template I0 would be adjusted forwards, thereby lowering the central incisors and causing the posterior molars to be progressively higher, when the incline of the occlusal plane OP will be posteriorly in relation to the horizontal plane HP. I

Inasmuch as the occlusal curve 00 applies equally to the upper and lower teeth alike, when the teeth are disposed in centric relation, it is a Y matter of choice of the operator as to which type of template he may use, the convex type as shown in Figures 1, 4, and 5, or the concaved type as shown in Figure 7; it being possible to obtain the same results with either in establishing the occlusal plane OP in relation to the horizontal plane HP. However, if the concaved type, indicated at I0 (Figure 7), is employed, the adjustable mounting and wedge assembly, identical to that as shown in Figures 1 and 4, is secured in position on the base A, of the articulator, by a second model attaching screw F, carried by the latter; the adjustment of the mounting and wedge being accomplished in the same manner, as in the first instance. Also, the same mounting and wedge assembly can be employed advantageously with a flat template, such as is indicated at III", in Figure 8; it being here noted that some dentists set up teeth on a plane, in disregard of the occlusal curve or plane, and, consequently, encounter mechanical diiilculties in setting up the teeth with a desired degree of correctness, since it is sometimes impossible to distinguish between the upper and lower levels. By the use of the graduated scales and index marks, it will be evident that, once a template has been adjusted to a required position, it may be removed and replaced in exactly at that position. Again, it will be equally evident that the template mounting and adjustable wedge assembly is capable of being attached to a conventional articulator without need for alteration, the usual model attachin lockscrews E and F being employed for the purpose. By providing the cutout in the rear central portion of the templates a manipulating space, i. e., opening, greatly facilitates accurate work performance.

What I claim is:

1. In the art of artificial denture construction, a template for use with dental articulators equipped with model attaching lock-screws in the base and jaw parts thereof, a mounting for said template and including an elongated base portion having a slot, a clamp means engageable with said mounting and one or the other of said lock-screws to secure the template in an adjusted position, and a guide element carried by said clamp means and engageable in said slot to maintain the alignment of said template and the mounting with respect to the supporting part of the articulator.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1, with said mounting having the form of spaced supports connecting the template with said base portion at opposite sides of the longitudinal centers thereof, said base portion having an outer in- .clined face, and a wedge-shaped member adapted to be interposed between said base portion and the opposed surface of the supporting part of the articulator, said member also having a slot adapted to be engaged by said guide element to allow for relative adjustment of said base portion and the member.

3. In the art of artificial dental construction, a template for use in dental articulators equipped with model attaching lock-screws in the base and jaw parts thereof, a mounting for said template including a base member having an inclined outer face and a slot disposed centrally of the same, a wedge member seated on said inclined face of the base member and having a centrally disposed slot in registry with the slot in said base member, means coupling said wedge member to said base member in a manner to allow relative adjustments between the same for the adjustment of said template to any degree of incline in relation to the horizontal plane as may be required for the setting up of teeth in conformity with the average oc-clusal curve for all sizes of individuals,

a guide member engaged through the slots in said base and wedge members to maintain the members in alignment, and a clamp element carried by said guide member and engageable with said base member, said guide member being engageable with one of the said lock-screws to secure the template, mounting and wedge member assembly, in the required position of adjustment relatively to the supporting part of the articulator, said clamp element having a graduated scale thereon and said base member an index cooperative with said scale to indicate the exact position of adjustment of said template, whereby the assembly may be removed and thereafter accurately replaced in such previously adjusted position.

4. The invention as in claim 3, with said base member of wedge form corresponding to that of said wedge member and having its front and rear ends provided with angled portions forming standards rigidly connected with the like ends of said template, and said template being of a curved formation representative of a segment of a sphere.

ROSS O. DICKSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,550,339 Branson et al Aug. 18, 1925 1,668,845 Hanan May 8, 1928 2,200,058 Chott May 7, 1940 

